All bows consist of a string attached to flexible limbs that store mechanical energy imparted by the user drawing the string. Bows may be generally split into two categories: those drawn by pulling the string directly and those that use a mechanism to mechanically draw the string.
Mechanically drawn bows, such as a crossbow, typically have a stock or other mounting and the limbs and bow string of the crossbow are mounted perpendicular to the stock. Compared to direct drawn bows, mechanically drawn bows typically have shorter draw length and a heavier draw weight is required to achieve the same energy transfer to the arrow. Mechanically drawn bows generally also have devices to hold the tension when the bow is fully drawn and are not limited by the strength of a single archer.
Direct drawn bows generally consist of an elongated piece of plastic or wood having a central non-dominant hand grip with spring-like limbs where a bow string is stretched from each attached outer ends of the limbs. Examples of direct drawn bows include a longbow, recurve bow or compound bow. Direct drawn bows are typically categorized based upon differences in limb construction or bow shape of the limbs when unstrung. In direct drawn bows, arrows are released from either the left or right side of the bow, depending on cultural preference and/or right or left handedness. This affects the hand grip and position of the bow.
Compound bow designs use cams or elliptical wheels on the ends of the limbs to reduce muscular stress of the archer and allow the archer more time to aim, while increasing the force of a discharged arrow by uning the effect of a cam or a wheel. As a result, the compound bow has a very fast speed of the discharged arrow and is widely used for hunting. A prior art compound bow 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The prior art compound bow shown in FIG. 1 has an upper blade 12 on an upper portion of a handle 18 and a lower blade 14 positioned on the lower portion of the handle 18. A cam unit 16a, 16b is rotatably installed between the upper and lower blades 12, 14 and the bow string 20 is positioned therebetween. As shown in FIG. 1, the compound bow design is substantially positioned in a single plane, with respect to the handle 18, blades (12, 14), cams (16a, 16b) and bow string 20, and is either right or left handed. When the bow is drawn, the bow is substantially parallel to the users body and requires a substantial amount of draw strength, even with the compound bow design.
Crossbows are typically mechanically drawn and incorporates a rifle-like stock with spring arms and a trigger mechanism for the hold and release of the bow string to propel an arrow. A typical crossbow has a trigger mechanism that mimics the firing of a firearm (pistols, rifles, etc.). Although crossbows have been used for hunting for many years, most crossbows can only be used for hunting during very specific hunting seasons where firearms can be used because the crossbow has attributes relating to a firearm. Crossbows cannot be used during seasons where archery-only is used in many states and provinces in the United States and Canada.
Crossbows have proven to be popular hunting weapons, despite the crossbows general bulkiness and weight. However, hunting season and archery season in the United States and Canada vary, depending on state and province laws. The use of crossbows, specifically, is even more restricted during the hunting and archery seasons and the use of mechanically fired crossbows is prohibited in archery-only seasons in most jurisdictions. This makes it more difficult for crossbow hunters to use their hunting weapon of choice whenever they want to hunt.
Accordingly, there are a number of known archery bows for the shooting of classic and conventional arrows. These bows range from being fairly complex to rather simple. However, in order for an archery bow to be of maximum use to the hunter, it needs to be able to shoot arrows precisely, forcefully, and safely. Further, though known improvements in archery bows have improved the accuracy and propelled distance of archery bows, restrictions on the use of archery weapons during various hunting seasons limit the choice of that archery weapon.
Therefore, there is a need for an archery bow which can be used during archery-only season that retains one or more advantages of a crossbow. In addition, there is a need for an improved archery bow which has the ease of use, durability, and lightweightness of the traditional archery bow, but with improved accuracy of the launch of arrows, and adaptability for use by both right- and left-handed hunters.